


Luna Lullaby

by GrumpyJenn



Series: Side Stories [5]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Comfort Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Empathy, POST - Angels Take Manhattan, Pregnant Sex, Series 7 Christmas Special Spoilers, Threesome - F/F/M, Touch Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-23
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-19 07:48:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Angels take Manhattan and the Ponds, our own Team TARDIS needs some time to heal... and to welcome a very new member.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amie33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amie33/gifts).



> I've missed Evie, and I left myself a hook in the form of Harmony Brooke in _The End_. 
> 
> Here's the missing part of that story.

“Whose is it?” asked Mirabel idly, and Evie shrugged.

“Mine,” she said simply, and Mira rolled her eyes.

“You know what I’m asking, Evie. Are you going to tell him he’s the father? I can’t imagine you cancelling your contraceptive implant for anyone but Jack Harkness after all, and he _does_ live in the twenty-first; he might feel some outdated macho need to know.”

Evie broke into a peal of laughter. “Darling Mira, Jack regularly shocks the denizens of that century precisely because he doesn’t _have_ those sorts of problems. I’ll tell him if he asks, or if he wants to know. I’m betting he _won’t_ , and he’ll love this little mite as though it was his in any case.” She patted her rounded belly and sighed. “I was going to visit him, but neither the TARDIS nor a vortex manipulator is safe just now. Oh, ugh... I hate this part,” she went on as her eyes filled with tears, “It does me no good to know that it’s hormonal; the shrink in me insists that I should be able to control my emotions...”

Mirabel embraced the tiny woman and stroked her hair while she cried the easy tears of a woman midway through her first pregnancy. “You miss him.”

Evie smiled through tears. “Always,” she said, and then there was a knock at the door.

“Sheriff Baker,” said the young deputy, the one who had replaced Jasper, “There’s a man out here insisting on seeing Professor Jones. He says that he has bad news for her. I’m sorry, Professor...” He trailed off, looking uncomfortable, and Evie smiled at him.

“Did you get his name, Deputy?”

“He said he was Captain Jack Har-- hey! Professor, where are you going?” Evie dashed past the young man and flung herself at Jack, and his arms automatically enfolded her. His eyes widened as he felt the convex curve of her abdomen against him, and a smile bloomed on his face, which had looked rather worn and sad when she had entered the room. He breathed her name and slid his hands around under her arms to lift her. “Professor? Oh,” said the young deputy, following Evie and smiling knowingly at the pair now snogging rather desperately in the outer office. The sheriff followed rather more sedately, and tapped Jack on the shoulder.

“May I have some of that?” she asked, and Jack grinned as he carefully put Evie back on her feet and enthusiastically kissed Mirabel. When they came up for air he looked inquiringly at the young deputy, who bashfully stepped forward to be kissed.

Jack murmured something about loving this century, and then turned to Evie as he let the young man go. “Evie, you are so...” he gestured at her belly. “So _beautiful_. Glowing. All those clichés about pregnant women. How long until the baby is born? Do you know the gender? Do you want to? Oh, _Evie_ , I...” he trailed off as he choked slightly with emotion, and picked Evie up again, settling her into his lap on the bench in Mirabel’s outer office. “God, Evie, _so beautiful._..” and then he was kissing her again.

“Um... Evie? Jack?” Mira rolled her eyes. “Oi, you pair!” They looked up and Mirabel laughed and made shooing motions with her hands. “Go on, get out of my office and have some private time in your own flat. Go _on_.” Evie smiled at her and Jack didn’t even set Evie on her feet; he just stood with her still in his arms and carried her out of the office. Mira smiled after them, then turned to her deputy. “I hope the bad news he has - whatever it is - won’t detract from their time together.” Her expression was concerned and Deputy Smith patted her hand consolingly.

\--/--

“What is it, lover?” asked Evie as soon as the door of her suite closed behind them, and Jack frowned. “You said you had bad news...” she said as steadily as she could manage. The expression on his face was heartbreaking, and tears were very close to the surface for Evie these days.

Jack sighed heavily and reached up to smooth back Evie’s coppery hair. “How long has it been for you, beautiful Evie, since the... since Isrea’s memorial?” He smiled, but his eyes were still sad. “I think the last time I saw you was about three years after that for you, yeah?” She nodded and he sighed again. “And it’s been at least...” he trailed off and backed away slightly, to consider her form. “At least five months for you since you saw me last?”

Evie shook her head. “No, far less than that, lover, but that would be spoilers.” And as she said that _damn_ word, Jack’s expression just crumpled into a mask of misery and he began to cry in deep and silent sobs. Evie pulled him to her and held him as he wept, crooning wordlessly into his hair and stroking his back until the sobs subsided.

“Thanks,” Jack finally whispered. “I...” He took a deep, shuddering sort of breath. “Evie... the... River’s parents, Amy and Rory, they...”

“Dead,” said Evie, and it wasn’t precisely a question.

“Not exactly.” Jack took another of those deep but uneven breaths. “From what the Old Girl told me, I think they’re... gone. Into another time. Still living, at least there and then, but...”

“Oh.” _That explains a lot,_ thought Evie. _Why I haven’t seen River or the Doctor for ages, why Jack is so distressed._ “So they’re alive, in the past?” He nodded. “I assume the Doctor isn’t taking it well.” He shook his head. “And River?”

“I think she has her hands full with the Doctor,” said Jack slowly, and the fact that he didn’t make a joke or wink or throw her a lascivious grin even as he said _she has her hands full..._ well, that told Evie more than anything how serious this was. And how upset Jack was; she hadn’t seen him like this for a decade or more. “It’s only been a couple of months for them, and they’re... the Doctor has...” He trailed off, looking as though he didn’t quite have the words to express what he was trying to say, but Evie was still touching him and all his barriers were down with her, so she could feel what he did.

“It’s not rejection, Jack,” she said softly, knowing that he already knew. “The Doctor isn’t rejecting you when he won’t talk to you.” He nodded and she went on. “He... he knows that you can handle anything he’s got. He knows that with his conscious mind. But _sub_ consciously, well... he’s always seen _all_ humans as fragile little children. And he’s probably not thinking clearly, so...” She pulled away slightly to search his face, then nodded once. He understood.

“He _was_ able to talk to Isrea... even when he couldn’t talk to me,” Jack said, looking slightly relieved, “And he _is_ talking to Sexy and River.” He sighed again. “I guess... I guess there’s nothing for it but to wait until - unless - he’s ready to talk to someone who reads as human to him. I--”

Evie interrupted Jack by kissing him hard on the lips. “You’re right, lover,” she murmured into his mouth. “We can’t force this...” and then she sighed against his lips and his arms went reflexively around her. They sat for a long time like that, cradling each other gently, not crying now... just _being together_.

“Tell me about the baby,” Jack said finally, and pulled away just enough to look down at her abdomen. “May I touch?” At her nod he pulled back a bit more, to spread his hand over the swell of her belly. “Oh, _Evie_ ,” he breathed, and this time the tears in his eyes were wondering and joyful and very nearly reverent. He bent his head to drop a kiss on the rounded curve and then kissed his way up her body as she lay back, slowly unbuttoning her dress as he went. When he reached her face he cradled it in his hands for a moment, then kissed her gently on the lips. “How much longer?” He asked hoarsely.

“About four months.”

“And you’re healthy? Everything is all right?”

“Oh yes.”

“Then may I love you?”

“I’ll be very cross with you if you don’t, Jack,” Evie said, and smiled at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, licking at his lips. He parted them willingly, and now that he was reassured of her safety and that of the baby, he covered her bared body with his clothed one and started to work his way down.

Evie was already moaning by the time Jack reached her breasts, and as his tongue circled one nipple she arched her back. “Mmm...” he hummed around her, “So sensitive, beautiful Evie, so _hot_.” And that was all it took; the vibrations of his mouth on her breast and his hands heading toward her centre, and Evie came hard, moaning his name and arching her body toward him.

As she shuddered through the orgasm Jack flipped to lie on his back and unfastened his trousers, then grasped Evie around the hips and settled her on and around him. “Jack... oh yes, right _there_ ,” she gasped, and after only a few thrusts she was gone again, taking him with her this time. She collapsed onto his chest and he moaned her name.

“God, _Evie_...” Jack panted into her hair. “Are you all right?” She nodded, getting hair in his mouth, and she started to laugh.

“Sorry, lover, I should have warned you how... hair-triggered I am just now,” she said, giggling as she slowly sat up, still joined to him. “I didn’t mean for that to be a quickie. Hormones, you know.”

Jack nodded. “I do, actually,” he said, and smiled up at her. “But it doesn’t have to be just a quickie.” Evie felt him stir inside her and her eyes widened. She knew he recovered quickly, but this was fast even for him. She circled her hips once, experimentally, and he groaned her name.

“Been awhile, lover?” Evie gasped, and Jack began to move underneath her, his hands clutching at her hips to steady her. She slid her hands with an aching slowness down her own torso, stroking the sides of her breasts and the rounded curve of her belly, arriving at last at the point where they were joined, rubbing them both to another climax.

Evie eased herself off of Jack - sensitivity could be too much of a good thing - and lay down beside him, stroking his chest as they both calmed from the frantic coupling. “Wow,” he said, and she laughed. “ _You_ may have cause to be hair-triggered, lovely Evie, but I don’t think I’m pregnant. At least I hope not; I swore I’d never do that again.” Evie started laughing harder. “So what _was_ that? I don’t think I’ve been that fast since... well, since the first time we were together.”

Evie stopped laughing and grew quickly serious. “You’ve got all that untrained empathy, Jack, and I... I don’t have a lot of control over my own just now. I’m sorry...

 _Oh shit,_ thought Jack, _she’s afraid she did something wrong, unethical._ He put one long finger under her chin and tipped her face up to his. “You mean I was... I was feeling what you were feeling, in addition to my own reactions?” She nodded, looking ashamed of herself, and he kissed her hard on the lips. “Christ, Evie, why haven’t we been doing it that way all along? It was... unbelievably hot.” He watched as the smile blossomed over her face and her whole countenance - from the huge blue eyes to the pointy little elfin chin - lightened with relief. He smiled back, but then it was his turn to get serious. “Evie...”

“Yes?”

“May I stay?”

“As long as you like.” Her voice was very gentle, and threaded through with a hope she hadn’t voiced aloud..

“At least until the baby is born?” The hope in Jack’s voice was considerably more evident.

“Oh...” Evie said, tears in her eyes again, “I’d love it.”

 


	2. Melody

“Time travellers, I swear,” sighed Mirabel Baker, sheriff of Luna University. “No such thing as coincidence with them. Evie! What _are_ you doing?”

“Coming to see you,” said Evie, puffing a bit in spite of the low gravity. _When someone as small as Evie Jones is eight months pregnant,_ thought Mira, _there’s not a lot of room for both baby and lungs in there._

“Well, sit down. I don’t want an early baby coming in my office.” Evie pulled a face at her friend, but she sat, with a satisfied sort of sigh. “I told you I’d bring her to you when she gets here, Evie,” scolded Mira, “so you wouldn’t take that long walk. She only called me to make sure we were in a time and place where she was welcome.”

“I know that,” said Evie waspishly, “but she’s _my_ friend and I don’t care! I... oh bugger it! Damned oestrogen. I’m sorry, Mira.” She blew strands of ginger hair out of her face and settled deeper into the chair. “Bless but I’m so ready to be done with this. To think that women have been doing this for millennia, and in a one gee field to boot. I can’t even imagine doing this on Earth. _Ugh_.” She gave a rueful half-laugh as Mira sat next to her and kissed her gently. “And then there’s you, my dear friend Mira, who never _wanted_ to be the shrink, counselling and consoling the weepy pregnant woman more and more often. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” said Mira softly, and kissed her again. “That’s not psychiatry; it’s friendship.” She smoothed the ginger hair. “In spite of my terror that you’ll drop the little mite right here in my office, I’m glad you’re _here_. I... I’m not sure if you could...” She trailed off, looking troubled in a way that was utterly unlike her, and Evie smiled at her.

“Because I’m so small?” she asked, and Mirabel nodded. “Mira. Have you been worried about that all this time?” She stroked Mirabel’s face. “I’m fine, sweet Mirabel. I’ve a whole team of medical professionals who love me, a low-gee environment, mental pain blocks, and you and my Jack.”

“And me...” came a voice from the doorway, and Evie looked up to see River Song leaning against the door frame, looking fit and beautiful. Until Evie struggled out of the deep chair to go to her, and could see the fine lines around River’s eyes, the achingly sad expression behind them, that she was probably no longer even aware of. “Oh, Evie, look at you,” River breathed, and opened her arms. Evie stepped forward and embraced her friend, soothing unconsciously with her touch, and felt River’s tense body relax just a bit.

“Hello, River,” whispered Evie. “I have missed you so. Let’s go home.” And without another word the pair of them turned and left the building.

\--/--

“I have missed you, River Song,” said Jack, and strode toward them as the women entered Evie’s flat. He enfolded them both in his arms and kicked the door shut behind them, and the three of them stood there swaying and holding on to each other for a few minutes. Finally Evie shifted a bit uncomfortably and Jack broke the three-way hug, taking each woman by the hand and leading them to the sofa in Evie’s sitting room. He gave River a gentle shove so she would sit, and solicitously settled Evie. Then he knelt at their feet and took River’s hands in one of his larger ones and reached out the other to Evie, who took it.

Jack looked up at River. His blue eyes were very kind, and bright with tears. “River...” He kissed her knuckles, and Evie’s, and began again. “I lied to you, River, and to Evie and Mirabel.” He glanced at Evie, who was looking at him with an expression of trust that all but shouted _you must have had a good reason, lover_ , and he took a deep breath. “I lied when I said I wanted you here for Evie’s sake; I want you here for _yours_ , River. I... _we_... love you so much.”

Evie knew exactly what Jack was trying to say. “We do,” she agreed, and leaned over to kiss River on the lips. “And we know that you’ve been... looking after the Doctor since your parents were... taken. But who’s looked after _you_ , River?” She watched as River’s lower lip began the slightest quiver, and squeezed Jack’s hand. He smiled at her gratefully.

“We know he loves you, River, more than almost anything in the universe,” Jack said gently. The trembling in River’s lip grew more pronounced. “But he’s hurting so much that just at the moment he _can’t_ take care of you. And you need to be taken care of just now, River, you really do. Please let us... _please_.”

“I...” started River. And then at _last_ it was too much, the Angels and the Doctor’s breakdown and being strong for him for _months_ and her parents’ fate and the love of people she trusted implicity, and she began to cry in deep, gasping sobs. Jack and Evie shared one long look and moved together to hold her, Evie stroking her back and Jack her hair, murmuring into her ears. But she didn’t hear them, _couldn’t_ hear them over the shuddering sobs and the babbling... _I love him, he loves me, but he needs me to be **strong**... no damage or age, I can’t... I... and oh **bless** I miss them so much, so **much** , mum and dad, Amy and Rory... I... he... oh Evie, oh Jack, I miss them so much..._

Eventually River ran down into shivers and occasional hiccoughs, and now she could hear the encouraging whispers in her ears - _you’ll be fine, you’ll be all right, that’s it darling River, let go and let us look after you for a while_ \- and she gave one final shaky sigh and relaxed, resting her head gently on the swell of Evie’s belly. Their eyes met over her head and Evie took over stroking River’s hair while Jack got up to get something to eat. He was worried at how tired Evie looked; keeping her own emotions steady while River had poured out all that... _anguish_ over them had taken every last ounce of strength she had. And River herself needed more than just a hug and some loving words; she needed looking after, physically and emotionally, at least for a while.

“Can you sit up a bit, River?” Evie was asking as Jack murmured into the holophone in the other room. He ordered their versions of comfort food - fully loaded Kronkburgers and chips, and where tiny Evie put _those_ he didn’t know, along with some very good chocolate imported up the gravity well - and carefully stayed away from both fish fingers and custard. As he quietly left the flat, heading out to pick up the orders, he noted that the women were kissing rather frantically, and he smiled to himself. Knowing his Evie, that would do them both more good than almost any other remedy.

When Jack returned, the kissing had settled into the gentle but thorough exploration that Evie did best, soft and searching and soothing. He put the food down on Evie’s little table and moved to the couch, briefly reaching out to stroke River’s shoulder, and the women broke the kiss and looked up at him. “More of that?” he asked them quietly but with _that_ twinkle in his eyes, leaving it all up to River and Evie. “Or some food first?”

River blinked once, twice, and then actually managed a small smile. “I’m ravenous,” she admitted. “I... I’m not sure when I last ate.” She sighed and then brightened slightly again. “And we can’t starve Baby Jones here,” she went on, “I want to hear all the particulars.”

Evie smiled at her and accepted a hand up; she needed it to get off the soft couch. “It’s a girl,” she said, “And I’ve got a name all picked out... but it’s a surprise. You didn’t tell the Doctor why you were coming, did you?” Until River had recovered some of her customary bravado and equilibrium, Evie wanted to tread very lightly around her, treat her family’s absence as just that - absence, nothing more. Nothing tragic. River shook her head. “Good,” Evie said in a satisfied tone, “When he’s up to speaking with humans again, I want to surprise him too.” She knew her decision to keep conversation of the Doctor and the Ponds causal and matter of fact had been correct when she felt River relax even more.

But River surprised her by _wanting_ to talk about it. “Evie,” she said, settling the younger woman into a chair at the table and caressing her hair briefly, “You’re exactly right. I’m the only human he can... bear to be around. And I’m not precisely human, am I?” She smiled, and it was a bit tearful but clearly less distressed than it had been before. “I packed him off to Vastra when I got the invitation to come here. I hope she can help him.”

Evie nodded. “With Isrea gone, Vastra is probably the best choice - since he persists in thinking of us humans - even Jack - as fragile little children.” She sighed, and Jack put a large hand over her small one, squeezing gently. She smiled gratefully at him and picked up her Kronkburger, only to put it down again and pick up a chip instead. “I wish I could help him... but I don’t think he’d ever accept it from me; I’m human _and_ child-sized. I--” She broke off as River kissed her hard on the lips.

“But you _have_ helped him, Evie, more than you know. He told me how much you helped the day we met Isrea. He _loves_ you, Evie, and he trusts you. Oh, sweet Evie, don’t cry...” Evie flapped a hand as if to dismiss the tears, and Jack scooted his chair over to put an arm around her.

“Hormones,” he said to River, who looked as though she might cry again too. “She believes you, but every little thing sets her off just now. Come on sweetheart, you’re okay,” he said to Evie, and now it was his turn to kiss her.

“I know,” Evie sobbed, shakily, “Ugh, four more weeks of this? I’m sorry, River, we’re meant to be here for _you_ , I...” She realised she was holding a chip and put it down, then took a deep breath to say something else, but River kissed her again.

“Don’t be silly, darling Evie. We can be here for each other.” River leaned over the corner of the table and kissed Evie some more, as Jack beamed at them both. There was a chime from the holophone.

“Reminder,” it said in its soft voice, “Week thirty-seven pre-natal examination for Professor Eva Jones scheduled for fourteen-hundred. Reminder.”

Evie sighed into River’s mouth. “I’ve got an hour. Better eat.”

“Would you like me to come with you?”

“No, it’s mostly a meditative preparation thing. Thanks. You stay here with Jack.” Evie smiled at her, and although she looked tired and even paler than her usual, she was clearly happy. She picked up the Kronkburger again, shook her head, and put it down to pick it apart and eat the component bits separately. “Mmm... it’s lovely. Thank you, Jack.”

“Any time, lover,” Jack said, and kissed her in spite of the food in her mouth. “Good thing I like ‘em loaded too...” he murmured against her lips, and she swallowed and then laughed. River watched them with affection and just a touch of envy. Was this how Jack himself had felt when she had met him so long ago? Alone though there was no intent to exclude? She tried to keep the sigh silent but she was still fairly close to the knife-edge of tears and Evie looked up from the kiss.

“Oh River. I’m so sorry.” River was shaking her head no as Evie rushed on. “I didn’t mean to get into your head, I can’t help it just now unless I concentrate and I relaxed, I’m sorry--”

But River just leaned forward and kissed her friend again, to shut her up. “It’s lovely, Evie. _You_ are lovely. It’s just going to... take me a bit to get my equilibrium back. And I am so, _so_ glad to be doing that here with you and Jack and the baby. I love you. I’m just feeling...” she trailed off.

“Wistful, a little sad, a tiny bit envious,” put in Jack, and he smiled at them both. “I’ve been there. Come on, beautiful Evie, we’ve got three weeks to bring River back to centre, and thirty minutes to get you fed and to the therapist. You have to look after yourself, too you know.”

“No,” said Evie, her eyes shining. “Not when I have you two.”

“Me too, Evie.” And they smiled at each other through sparkling tears.


	3. Interlude

“All right, River,” said Jack gently, “Go ahead. Tell me everything you wouldn’t say while Evie was here.” He put one finger under River’s chin and lifted her face to look into the pretty green eyes. “I know there’s something, River, and I know _you_ know Evie can handle it. Tell me.”

“I do know she can, Jack, but she’s...”

“Ready to pop? Yeah, I know.” His grin lit up his face.

“Yes, and sensitive, and I... Jack, I... I don’t want her to think...” She trailed off and shuddered and he pulled her unresisting body to his.

“Come on, River, it’s all right...” Jack sighed and steered her to the couch again. “Okay, sweetheart, you can tell me, right? Of course you can, that’s it....” There were tears in his eyes, but his voice was steady, and he rocked her gently and stroked her hair.

“I... it... he...” River gave a half-laugh-half-sob. “Oh, _bless_ , where to start? It’s so bloody timey-wimey...” She sniffled and burrowed her head under Jack’s chin. “He _loves_ me, Jack, I know he does. He almost never says it but he shows it _all the time_. He... he healed my wrist.” She held her right hand out to him. “It was broken - by a Weeping Angel that wasn’t strong enough to send me away. And he healed it, he used regeneration energy to heal it. Because he loves me. And I...” She took a shaky breath, remembering. “I shouted at him, and I slapped him, told him he was stupid for doing it, for wasting the energy on me, and I... oh Jack, I _hurt_ him. Not only his face where I hit him, his _hearts_. I tried to apologise later, after... _after_... and he wouldn’t hear of it, he just smiled that sad smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, and said _always and completely_ and oh bless, Jack, I _hurt_ him...”

She was sobbing in earnest now, and Jack thought his heart might just break at the sound. “Shh, River sweetheart, he forgave you, and you’re the only mostly-human he can talk to right now honey, he loves you and he trusts you, it’s okay...” He was nearly babbling himself, and he just kept on talking until River’s sobs shuddered to a stop.

At last she spoke. “Jack?” Her voice was very quiet.

“Hmm?” His was a comforting rumble in his chest against her ear.

“I... I didn’t tell Evie... because I don’t want her to... to think less of me. To despise me.” She ducked her head, knowing it sounded stupid, and was surprised by his chuckle.

“River.” Jack pulled away enough to see her face. “You know she wouldn’t. Not Evie. She loves you... and she knows you wouldn’t hurt him _deliberately_. She might,” he continued in a considering tone, “Gently bully you both to come talk to her, but she wouldn’t think less of you for losing your temper. She never would.” He leaned down and kissed River gently on the lips. “Poor River Song,” he whispered against her mouth, “So worried about things she knows aren’t so.”

River sighed into his mouth and kissed him back, but then she pulled away. “Jack...?”

He smiled at her, eyes very blue and very kind and affectionate, and spread his hands. “Up to you, hon. Always. You know that too.”

She nodded. “I do know,” she said, and kissed him.

Several minutes later Evie smiled at her friends lying on the bed in her room. “Can I have some of that?” she asked softly, “Or would you prefer to be alone?” Neither of them spoke; they just each held out a hand, and Evie climbed onto the bed so that River was between her and Jack. “Oh, sweet River,” she murmured, noting the tear streaks on the older woman’s cheeks. “I’m so sorry.” River shook her head, but Evie was still speaking. “You love them, and they’re... physically inaccessible. You love _him_ and he’s emotionally so. How long have you been doing this to yourself?” She shifted her unwieldy body around so she was lying on her side, the convex curve of her belly nestled into the concave one of River’s waist, and kissed her friend.

 _??_ A gentle inquiry from Evie in the back of River’s mind...

 _Yes._ “I don’t mind. Come on in.”

“We’re here, River. As long as you need us...” Evie said, and the matching sentiment of love and acceptance and caring echoed in River’s mind and her hearts. “Both of...” she broke off as the baby kicked River’s side through her belly, and a warm wave of amusement washed over the room. “All right,” Evie went on, smiling, “All three of us are here for you as long as you need us.”

“Thank you,” River whispered into Evie’s hair. “I... I need...”

“You need to feel loved, cared for,” put in Jack, running his hand lightly up River’s arm. “Because he loves you, you know he does, but just now he _can’t_ look after you no matter how much you need it. That’s where we come in, River. Please let us care for you. Please?” He bent his head to kiss her as Evie rested her own head in the curve between River’s shoulder and her ear. They caressed and petted, nibbled and licked, using their best tool - contact with loving friends - to make River feel loved and cared for and wanted. And if River objected to Evie’s awareness stroking hers even as their hands and lips stroked her body, she didn’t say so - not even in the quiet of her mind - as the months of unrelenting pain was soothed by their touch.

And then they slept, 

_We love you..._

It echoed in the vaults of River’s sleeping mind, and soothed it even after the physical touch was gone.

\--/--

When River woke she was alone in the bed, but she could hear low murmuring from the sitting room, and someone - probably Jack - had tucked her into bed like a child. She snuggled deeper into the bed and reflected that they were right; having someone _else_ be the strong one for just a little while... it was exactly what she needed. Time and space to do her grieving without simultaneously looking after her husband in his own grief. Vastra would be able to take care of him, and Jenny’s presence would help Vastra gauge when he was ready to... to risk his hearts caring about humans again.

“You’re awake,” said Evie from the open doorway, and River was able to smile at her. She stretched, her arms snaking out from under the duvet, and beckoned to the younger woman, who slid in next to her, burrowing against her like a small animal in its den. “Mmm...” she said sleepily. “I could stay here all day if I hadn’t things to do.”

“Must you do them now?”

Evie sighed and gave a half-laugh at the same time. “I suppose not, actually. Hormones. I’ve got a couple of weeks left - most likely - so it feels urgent but it’s really not.”

“Well then,” said River, and kissed her. “Want to use some hormonal urgency for another purpose?” And then her smile grew wider as Evie opened her arms.

\--/-- 

“Is she all right, Jack?” The Doctor’s voice cracked on the last word, and his face was in shadow in a corridor off the room.

“She will be, Doc. We’ve got her,” Jack said gently. “Can we help _you_?”

“I...” There was a long pause, and the Doctor’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m sorry, Jack. I never meant to hurt you. Sexy tells me I did.”

“S’okay. You needed time away more than you needed me, that’s all.” Jack was pleased with how level he kept his voice, because yes, it _had_ hurt that the Doctor wouldn’t talk to him, after everything they’d been through together. He understood why, but he couldn’t feel it.

The Doctor gave a short and bitter laugh. “Fine time for me to forget the _factness_ of you, eh, Jack? The one time when you need me to need you.” The shadows shifted as the Doctor ran one long-fingered hand through his hair, and then he stepped forward into the light of the console room. He looked very tired, Jack thought, so tired that his baby face looked old. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Jack said again, and then he hauled the Doctor in for a hug, feeling the quadruple heartbeat against his double. “Just remember,” He whispered as he held the Doctor tightly, “That I’m _not_... ephemeral. I’ll be around long after _you’re_ out of regenerations, Doctor. So _call_ me when you need a friend.”

“I called you this time,” the Doctor pointed out, and Jack let him go and laughed at him.

“Sexy bullied you into it, didn’t she?” He grinned.

“Well... yes,” said the Doctor, somewhat distantly, and then his face grew wistful. “But River is... she’s okay?”

“She just needs some time to do her own grieving,” Jack said softly. “She’s great.”

“No,” said the Doctor. “She’s amazing.”

\--/--

“I went to see him, River,” said Jack, and sighed. “Sexy reminded him that I’m not your standard human, and he called me. He’s all right, or he will be. He just...”

“I’m so _glad_ ,” said River, and she looked it, eyes shining. _Strange_ , Jack thought, _when he looks so old and despairing, and she so young and hopeful_. “So glad, Jack. If he’s allowing the old girl to talk him into talking to you, he’s on his way to recovery. Oh... oh Evie, don’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Evie sniffled. “I wish he’d let me help him, and I understand why he can’t, but I’m so _very_ glad he can talk to _someone_...” She buried her face in Jack’s chest as he pulled her to him, and he rubbed her back, smiling at River over the top of her head.

“Hormones,” River said with a tiny laugh, and Evie sniffled again, looking for all the world like a small child until she turned around in Jack’s embrace. She gave a snuflly little laugh herself and wiped her eyes.

“Oh _bless_ ,” she said, half crying and half laughing. “I am so very ready for this to be done. And I--” She broke off suddenly as a very strange expression crossed her face. “Oh! Ohhh... River? Remember when I said there was nothing urgent, couple of weeks to go?”

River nodded, awareness dawning. “Yes, honey, I remember,” she said, and began to move to the holophone to call Evie’s doctors. _Jack looks remarkably calm_ , she thought, _but I suppose he’s been in this situation before, usually at a lower medical tech level_.

Evie’s voice was tiny, elated and terrified all at once. “I was wrong.”

 


	4. Harmony

_The best thing about this century_ , thought River as she looked at the little family, _even better than the sexual mores, is that medicine is so patient-centred_.

Evie’s own empathic and psychic training - together with that of her medical team - meant that she had given birth with no drugs, no pain, but with full awareness and participation. Jack had been there in her own tub with her, supporting her body and soothing her with his touch. The psychiatrist who worked most closely with Evie had sat nearby, her mental touch soothing as much as Jack’s physical.

And now Evie and her baby were all snuggled up in bed, getting some well-deserved rest, and Jack was hovering like a hen with one chick. They were a gorgeous little family; the baby already the spitting image of her mother, tiny and pale, with a tuft of bright ginger hair. Evie looked tired but radiant, and Jack proud as could be, whether he was Harmony’s biological father or not; it clearly didn’t matter to him.

 _Harmony_ , River thought, such a perfect name for the daughter of someone like Evie Jones. And _Harmony Brooke_ no less, to honour her mother’s dearest friends, Melody Pond and Isrea of the Haemogoth, Water-moving-over-pebbles. River felt tears prickle again. So much had happened in the last solar day - she’d arrived sad and grieving, been thoroughly comforted and loved, been witness to a life-altering _good_ experience for a change... and honoured by the choice of name.

“Jack, they’re beautiful,” she whispered, and he smiled at her.

“And you, Auntie River.”

She shook her head. “I think... I’d like to be Melody - Auntie Melody if you like - to Harmony. It’s a... connection. Continuity.” She angled her head toward the doorway in invitation, and he followed her into the sitting room, closing the bedroom door but not pulling it to. “And you? Uncle Jack?”

He laughed. “Just ‘Jack’ will do. Or whatever the little thing wants to call me when she can talk. I intend to stick around, if that’s what you’re asking. Nosy.” He smiled at her again. “I’m sure I’ll be gallivanting about here and there, but it’s not like Evie’s in danger of walking the widows’ walk on my account.” He paused as he choked up a bit. “I love her, River. So much. And her _baby_ , that’s just...” he waved his hands about in a very Doctor-ish gesture. “Just _amazing_.”

River walked to him and kissed him hard on the lips. “You’re a good man, Jack Harkness,” she said, and hugged him tight, then let him go. “I’m going to go get your beloved some favourite things, Jack; you stay here with them. I love you all.” And she slipped out the door.

Luna University was not _only_ a school; it was a functional small town, and everything one could possibly need for a young woman with a new baby was available. River actually found herself humming softly as she wandered about, and at one point she stopped in her tracks as she realised something.

She was no longer wracked with grief.

River was very honest with herself, and she realised that she would still have moments of grief and despair. But the events of the last day had overwhelmed the heavy dragging depression of the months before it, the time since her parents had been taken. She chuckled inwardly; even her _thoughts_ were quicker, less depressed, less hesitant.

She knew her husband’s mind worked differently; his hearts would be broken until another short-lived human mended them. But _now_ she could be strong for him again. She reached into the little (on the outside) handbag she carried, and pulled out the psychic paper.

 _My love_ , she wrote, _Very soon now I will be back with you. River._

The response took nearly no time, and it was so _him_ that she knew everything would be all right.

 _My River,_ it read, _I am so very glad. Oi! Snowmen! The Doctor._

River Song laughed out loud - a true, gut-deep laugh there on a park bench surrounded by shopping bags - for the first time in months.

\--/-- 

“River, did you buy _everything_ in the stores?” Evie shook her head in mock dismay, even as she smiled at her friend. River grinned back, feeling uncharacteristically ebullient.

“As my husband might say, I didn’t know what you’d like, so I got the lot,” she admitted, laughing, and then her voice softened. “I want you to feel as loved and cared for as you made me feel, Evie darling. And I couldn’t resist buying these things.” She held up a tiny denim pinafore dress. “Oh! I had one made for her too; the clerk thought I was daft. Let’s see...” She rummaged through the shopping bags until she found the little blue singlet and matching hat. Evie pounced on it.

“Oh _bless_ , River, it’s a tiny TARDIS! And the _hat_ , the hat is the light on top! Ohh...” Evie shifted the sleeping baby, who had begun to stir when her mother exclaimed aloud. “Oh, Sexy Thing would love it, wouldn’t she? Such a dear little wee thing...”

Jack laughed. “Some things - like the tendency of human females to squeal over baby clothes - transcend time and space.” He rubbed his ear as though it hurt him, and Evie pulled a face as the baby frowned in her sleep and opened her eyes.

Jack stopped teasing Evie immediately as he held out his arms. She laughed and handed him the baby, and he held the little thing facing him, and began to speak seriously to her as though she could understand him. His murmurs to the baby faded as he took her into the sitting room, and the women smiled at each other. “Is there anything sexier than a large man with a tiny baby?” River asked rhetorically, and Evie shook her head. “I mean it, Evie,” River continued. “You and Jack and little Harmony... all it took was a day of you loving me and I’m okay now. Oh, don’t shake your head at me, Evie; I know it’s not over. But I’m better now, I’m at a point where I can _cope_ again. And that was you and Jack, and Harmony’s arrival, and I am so _grateful_.”

“Don’t be daft, River,” said Evie softly, and kissed her friend. “You just needed...”

“I needed _you_ , and Jack, and your combined ability to take some of the burden, even if only for a day. I was so _tired_ , Evie, so tired of being the strong one. And for a day I didn’t have to be, and that’s because of _you_.” Tears were sparkling in both women’s eyes again, but they were more from love than grief this time. And when Jack’s low murmur from the other room ceased as baby Harmony’s voice rose in a hungry wail, they both burst out laughing, and Evie went to take the baby from her love.

\--/--

 _I’m sorry, my love,_ said the psychic paper, along with coordinates.

 _No need, my River,_ said the reply, and before River had time to scratch out a response the _vworp vworp_ sound of the TARDIS materialising filled the little clearing on the lip of the valley.

The door opened, and her husband peeked out, hair flopping over his face. “Hi honey,” he said tentatively, “I’m ho-- _mmph_!”

The last word was muffled as River tackled him, knocking him over onto the floor of the TARDIS, and kicking the door shut behind them. “And what sort of time do you call this?” she murmured into his mouth, and then it was all moans and questing hands and breathless sighs for a while.

“I’ve missed you so,” the Doctor said, later, his nose buried in River’s curls. She sat up.

“How long has it been for you, my love?”

“A couple of months. Had an adventure, killer snowmen. Met a human; you’ll like her even if she did kiss me, Clara, she’s lovely. Er... you _will_ like her, won’t you? Even though she kissed me?”

River smiled at him. “Sweetie, _I_ stayed with Jack and Evie for nearly a week. I got more than my share of kisses, and as for Clara, well... I _do_ like her, very much. She brought _you_ back to me.” She reached over and stroked his cheek. “You couldn’t help it, my love. Jack and Evie looked after me.” He leered at her knowingly and she laughed. “Yes _indeed_ ,” she said, “and I wish you could... bear to be with them too. It would do you good, I think. Although our favourite psychiatrist disagrees with me. She thinks you need more time before you can be... easy with short-lived humans again.”

“As always, our Professor Jones has impeccable timing,” he said approvingly. “But you plan to visit them even when I can’t... can’t bear to, yeah?” River nodded. “Then she will know when it’s time. I... I trust her judgment.”

River’s eyes filled with tears. He was trying so _hard_ , even though it _hurt_ him to think of short-lived little ginger Evie. “I’ll tell her.”

“She already knows.”

\--/--

“He’s right of course,” said Evie, settling Harmony on her shoulder and patting her back. “I do know. But I love him for saying it.” She sighed. “I hope he’ll feel better about it someday, but well...” she shrugged and the baby scrunched up her little face at the movement under her.

“No,” Harmony said, and River gaped at her.

“Evie, how long has it been for you since I was here last?” she asked. If Harmony was already talking it must be later than she had thought.

“Eleven months and two weeks,” said Evie, and began to laugh. “River dearest, she’s just tiny like her mum. I know she looks younger than nearly a year, but I promise, it _has_ been that long. Can you stay for her birthday?”

“I’ll come every year,” River promised, and smiled at her friend.

\--/--

When Harmony turned two years old, River was there. “Auntie Mel-dy, you comed,” The toddler shrieked, and launched herself at River, catching her at the knees and nearly knocking her down.

When Harmony turned three years old, River was there, and Evie beamed at her friend as she bent over the tiny child, smoothing back the flyaway ginger hair to affix an Alice band in TARDIS blue there.

When Harmony turned four years old, River was there, and she listened with delight as the child explained everything in her little world with great seriousness. Many amused glances were traded over Harmony’s head.

When Harmony turned five years old, River was there, and the child - still tiny but more obviously a _child_ , not a baby - asked if she could talk with Auntie Melody alone. River smiled and said yes of course, and Harmony took her hand and dragged her off, waving assent at her mother’s admonition to _remember-what-I-told-you_. She sat River down on the very bench where River had sat after purchasing all her baby things, and looked up at her, a serious look on the dimpled little face. “Auntie Melody, why are you sad?” she asked. “I can tell you are but I promised Mumma I wouldn’t go in your head without asking.”

“It’s a good promise, Harmony; it’s not nice to pry in people’s heads.” Harmony sighed as if all the world was on her shoulders, and River smiled at her. “I can’t let you in there, sweet Harmony; you would see things that haven’t happened yet. We call them _spoilers_ , and they can be very dangerous.” She gathered the little girl into her lap. “What I can tell you is that my sadness has nothing to do with you or your mumma, nothing at all. My husband is sad and it makes me sad, that’s all.”

“Is he in your head?”

“Not just now; I have to touch him for him to be in my head. Do you know about him? Has your mumma or Jack told you anything about him?” River was curious.

“Mumma says he looks like a young human but he’s really an old alien called the Doctor with a time-travel blue box, and he has adventures and sometimes he brings friends with him. Before I was borned Mumma went on some with him, and Jack went on some before he met Mumma again. He can move in time too you know, that’s how he met Mumma two times.” She looked at River expectantly.

“A fair summation, Harmony,” said River, and smiled.

\--/--

When Harmony turned six years old, River was there, and she seemed much happier to the child. “Is the Doctor happy now?” she asked with all the innocent wisdom of six years old, and River smiled at her.

“I don’t know,” she said, “But Tuesday next he’s taking me to one of the most beautiful places in the universe, Darillium where the Towers sing. He’s been promising for ages.”

Before she left that time, she dropped a small blue book, full of fascinating old photographs in Evie’s lap. “Give it to him when you think he’s ready. It should come from you.”

\--/--

When Harmony turned seven years old, River was not there.

 


	5. Postlude

Mumma was right. He _did_ look like a young man on the outside, but Harmony could _feel_ how old he was in the back of her head, and that was just from looking. She took a deep breath and tried to block it like Mumma had showed her, but she couldn’t; he was just too old and tired and sad. Harmony liked him though; he looked nice, even if he was a million years old. Mumma had said he might cry when he met her, Harmony, and heard her name, but that the tears would be happy ones. She hoped he wouldn’t.

“Excuse me,” she said, coming up behind him. He turned around fast enough for the hem of his jacket to flare, then looked down at her. She went on. “Excuse me, are you the Doctor?”

He looked her up and down a few times, then smiled. His smile lit up his face and it even reached his eyes, although he still felt sad underneath. “Are you seven?” he demanded, and she smiled back, and from then on it was like they were old friends. They talked about custard, and fish fingers, and how he was odd, and she almost forgot to give him the photograph album but he said it didn’t matter because of something that was overrated... and she understood that he wouldn’t tell Mumma. When she gave it to him he did not cry, not on the outside, but he was crying on the inside and it made her sad. They didn’t _feel_ like happy tears.

But then he asked her if Brooke was her surname and she told him that it wasn’t, and told him the secret of where - _when_ \- she was from, and then the inside crying moved outside and he hugged her tight. And then Mumma was there, hugging them both in her special Mumma way, the way that always made Harmony feel better without actually going inside her head.

Then Jack came in his dust-and-lightning way, and they sat together talking about grown-up things, and Harmony could feel the Doctor’s sadness as they talked. She realised that the Doctor loved her Mumma and her Jack, and he needed them but he didn’t like to say so, he was _afraid_ to say so, and she wondered if that was a Doctor thing or a really-really-old thing. She decided it must be a Doctor thing, because Jack was really-really-old, and _he_ wasn’t afraid to tell people he loved them.

Presently Harmony got tired of listening to them; she wanted to finish telling the Doctor about her aunties and her name. She knew that Mumma would give her the _look_ if she interrupted though, so she just sat on Jack’s lap and waited. It wasn’t her fault if she was a little bouncy; she couldn’t help it. Mumma knew that, and nodded at her, and the Doctor guessed about the aunties and her name. Then he kissed her on the forehead and she felt an echo of affection and loneliness and she and Mumma went off to play for a bit while Jack talked to the Doctor.

“Mumma,” Harmony said, and suddenly burst into tears. “Oh, he’s so _lonely_ , so sad,” she wept, and watched Mumma’s face grow angry for just a moment and then understanding. She put her hands on either side of Harmony’s head and the sad feeling faded a bit so it was only her _own_ sadness for him, not his sadness too. Harmony sighed with relief. “I’m sorry, Mumma,” she said in a very small voice. “I didn’t mean to go in his head without asking...” but Mumma was shaking her head.

“You didn’t, darling Harmony,” she said, wiping the tears off Harmony’s face. “He didn’t either, not on purpose, but he is very strong, and very sad, and very lonely. You couldn’t block it. Come here, baby.” She pulled Harmony into her lap and held her tight. “My sweet Harmony Brooke, you are so strong, but you haven’t the control or the training to block the despair of someone like the Doctor, especially if he’s touching you. Oh, you did so well, my daughter, so very well.” She took a soft cloth from her pocket and blotted away the last of the dampness from Harmony’s cheeks. “Now then,” she said briskly, “I need to talk to the Doctor myself; why don’t you go ask Jack to buy you an ice cream?”

\--/--

When Harmony turned eight years old, the Doctor was there.

 

 


End file.
